NOVPUBDaniel heaved a sigh.
Ultimately, his current strength was still lacking.
Otherwise, there wouldn’t be a need to deceive Clown with pretentious mystique. He could’ve simply swept away the entire Rebirth Corporation with a grand gesture.
There would be no room for such suspicions.
Discarding the fabric, he turned on his heel to exit the burial chamber.
No sooner had he stepped into the corridor than a chilling sensation crept up the back of his neck.
Of course, Daniel’s reflexes were razor-sharp.
With a crisp snap,
He twisted his own neck, maintaining his forward momentum while facing backward.
By walking the monster’s path, he left the monster with nowhere to tread.
Continuing forward, he descended several more levels, passing by several burial chambers.
A cursory exploration revealed that, without exception, all were empty, devoid of any clues.
He had almost resigned himself to the thought that perhaps this pyramid had no more secrets to offer.
Yet, another chamber appeared before him.
A glint flashed across Daniel’s eyes.
This chamber stood out from the rest. It was compact, covering less than ten square meters.
With the soft illumination from the wall torches, he could make out furnishings reminiscent of tables and stools.
On either side, structures resembling bookshelves stood.
At a glance, it appeared to be a study.
Approaching cautiously, Daniel entered and took a quick survey.
Directly across from the entrance, atop a stone table, lay an outstretched piece of parchment.
Upon it, blurred characters were visible.
Squinting, Daniel tried to discern the writing.
[Oracle Seer, are you perplexed?
Do you yearn for the truth of this world?
Do you seek the origin of the ceaseless emergence of these monsters?
Go forth, for I have placed everything there, in The First Pyramid.
When you uncover the truth, it will also be the time for you to make a choice.
Will you be the savior of humankind or the sovereign of this world?
Heed your heart, accept the divine design. The gears of destiny are in motion, and no one can halt their advance!
Signed: Godfather.]
Upon reading the words on the parchment, Daniel’s expression turned peculiar.
This message bore too much information.
Oracle Seer, the truth of the world, The First Pyramid, and the gears of destiny. no𝚟𝚙u𝚋.c𝚘m
If the words on the cloth fragment earlier had painted Godfather as an immensely enigmatic and powerful figure, then the message on this parchment made him seem like a cryptic chatterbox.
Having already left this note here, couldn’t he have penned down a few more words to reveal this so-called truth of the world?
Daniel intended to examine it further.
However, something miraculous unfolded.
The writing on the parchment began to fade, as if someone was erasing it, vanishing gradually.
Eventually, it was just a plain, blank piece of parchment.
It didn’t take much to deduce this was the handiwork of Godfather.
Perhaps he didn’t intend for a second pair of eyes to see this message.
But now that Daniel had read it, could it be that he was the one referred to in the message?
Daniel furrowed his brows. While the title ’Foretell Future’ might resonate with him, ’Oracle Seer’ didn’t quite fit.
Suddenly, a realization struck him.
Brooks’ ability was called Oracle. Could that message have been intended for him?
Daniel was puzzled.
The message on the parchment had vanished, and in all likelihood, only he had seen it.
Perhaps the answers lay in the mentioned ’The First Pyramid’.
Pulling out his satellite phone, he dialed out.
It connected almost instantly.
On the other end, as always, was Julia. "Daniel, are you alright?" she asked.
Daniel replied with a hint of nonchalance, "I’m fine. Have you ever heard of ’The First Pyramid’?"
Julia responded, "Never."
Frowning, Daniel remarked, "That complicates things."
He then recounted the message he had seen on the parchment.
Julia, equally curious, mused, "Who could this ’Oracle Seer’ refer to?"
Shaking his head, Daniel replied, "I have no idea, but it’s not me."
Julia countered, "Not necessarily. If the text vanished right after you read it, chances are high that it’s referring to you."
Daniel, a touch irritated, said, "Let’s not dwell on that now. Are you sure you’ve never heard of ’The First Pyramid’?"
"I’ll check with Martin and the others. Just hold on," she said.
Swift footsteps echoed over the phone.
But Daniel hung up.
Although the satellite phone could charge using solar power, he was deep within a sunless pyramid. Uncertain of when he’d emerge, it was best to conserve battery.
The satellite phone soon rang again. Upon answering, Julia’s voice emerged.
"Didn’t I ask you not to hang up? Can’t even wait for a moment, typical man," she teased.
Daniel sidestepped her remark and inquired, "Any news?"
Although slightly irked, Julia understood the urgency, "Martin and his team are clueless. I’ve consulted the intelligence department too, but they’re in the dark as well, unless..."
Catching onto the pause, Daniel pressed, "Unless what?"
Julia speculated, "This is just my guess, but could ’The First Pyramid’ refer to the very first pyramid ever built?"
"I’ve pulled up information on the oldest known pyramid and sent it to your phone. Have a look," she added.
"Alright," Daniel responded. "Where’s Brooks?"
"He’s right beside me. I’ll pass the phone over."
Brooks’ voice soon chimed in, "Hey, my friend, how are you holding up?"
Daniel replied, "I’m fine. But I have a more pressing matter. Is your ability called ’Oracle’?"
"Of course. Everyone in the Investigation Bureau knows that."
"Can you Foretell the Future?"
"Impossible. My ability just makes whatever I say become reality. I don’t have the power to Foretell the Future. Besides, isn’t that your ability?"
"I understand."
With that, Daniel promptly ended the call.
Brooks indeed possessed the ’Oracle’ ability, but he couldn’t Foretell the Future.
Nevertheless, this didn’t conclusively prove he wasn’t the Oracle Seer.
No matter, pinpointing the location of The First Pyramid took precedence.
Daniel unlocked his phone and, as expected, saw a message from Julia.
Upon opening it, an image of an ancient-looking pyramid filled the screen: The Step Pyramid of Djoser – the oldest pyramid known to man. Built approximately five millennia ago, archaeologists hailed it as a treasure of human history. Historical records attested to the pyramid’s interior harboring healing properties.
With this, Daniel’s mind leapt to the Healing Crystal. Clearly, this Pyramid of Djoser also contained a Healing Crystal.
Daniel shut off his phone, resolute in his conviction.
This pyramid, intertwined with the history of monsters, beckoned him to unravel its mysteries.
He readied himself to depart for the Pyramid of Djoser.
Yet, another quandary stood before him: finding an exit.
Having been teleported into the interior of this pyramid by the fragmented obelisk, he had no idea where the entrance was.
Even tracing the passage all the way down to its deepest recesses yielded no exit.
Daniel halted before a vast stone wall, the pathway culminating here.
It seemed as though this pyramid had no way out. So, how was he to leave?
The eerie cold sensation lingered behind him. That creature was still lurking, watching from the shadows.
Suddenly, a realization dawned on Daniel.
He’d scoured the entirety of the pyramid to no avail. But he’d overlooked a crucial element: the long-armed simian monster.
Perhaps, by vanquishing it, he could find a way out.
Although this was mere speculation, he was at a dead end and willing to take the gamble.
With resolve, Daniel spun back around.
With a sharp crack, he snapped his head forward.
Simultaneously, a chilling intent enveloped the air.
Where the corridor had once been empty, a towering figure now loomed, as immense as an iron pillar.
The long-armed simian monster launched its assault again!
Daniel’s grip tightened on the silk thread machete. Given the creature’s elongated arms, a dagger wouldn’t suffice in this confrontation.
Clang!
A resounding strike echoed as the blade clashed against the simian’s arm. Sparks flew, yet only a faint mark was left on the creature’s skin.
A true monstrosity!
Daniel furrowed his brow.
The force behind that blow would’ve cleaved steel in two, yet it barely left a scratch on this beast.
Undeterred, he swung his blade again.
With a thunderous roar, the long-armed simian monster, seemingly ablaze with fury, retaliated with a powerful punch.
Blade met fist, generating a deafening clash, making the very air around them feel as if it had been expelled from its place.
After a brief moment of stifling tension, Daniel withdrew his blade and crouched, gathering momentum.
Like a sword being unsheathed, he unleashed a force a hundred times amplified.
Hundred-fold damage!
"To your end!" Daniel roared, channeling every ounce of his strength into the edge of the blade.
This overpowering force even materialized as tangible blade energy, casting a massive shadow of the sword that spanned dozens of meters, exuding a cataclysmic might as it descended.
Crack!
The surrounding walls were sliced apart by the blade’s energy.
Its force undiminished, it persisted forward.
In the blink of an eye, it positioned itself before the long-armed simian monster.
The monster, seemingly aware of the potency of this strike, crossed its arms in defense.
Swish!
The blade swept across, its energy dissipating.
Time seemed to stand still.
With a furrowed brow, Daniel murmured in disbelief, "It didn’t cause any damage?"
Then, in the next moment, the creature’s two arms fell to the ground.
An ear-piercing, agonizing wail echoed.
It felt like an eternity before the scream subsided.
The monster’s eyes, as large as bronze bells and now veiled in a layer of blood, bore into Daniel with intense fury.
Clearly, it had reached the pinnacle of its rage.
